WISE WORDS FROM COACH NEWELL

“Don’t ever allow yourself to think you invented the game, or any part of it. But it doesn’t mean you can’t refine what you borrow."

-Pete Newell 

COVEY ON EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY

"Effective people lead their lives and manage their relationships around principles; ineffective people attempt to manage their time around priorities and their tasks around goals. Think effectiveness with people; efficiency with things."

-Stephen Covey

BRIAN TRACY: KEYS TO INFLUENCING OTHERS

Here is some great advice from Brian Tracy.  I would challenge you to read it think how you could apply it to your program -- you players, support staff, administration.

Do nice things for others. One of the best ways to influence someone is to do something nice for him. I know many successful salespeople who make a habit of taking their prospects out to breakfast or lunch. During the breakfast or lunch, they do not talk about their products or services unless the client brings it up. They merely make small talk, ask questions and listen. They work on building trust, and they work on establishing a friendly relationship. At the end of the breakfast or lunch, they tell the prospect that they will be getting in touch with him sometime in the future with the possibility of talking to him about helping him in some way.

See them as friends and partners. The best salespeople and businesspeople in America today are those who look upon their customers and prospective customers as friends and partners. They always look for ways to help their partners improve their lives in ways that are not directly related to the products or services they sell. They sow seeds, and they reap a harvest. They trigger a desire in people to reciprocate. When the time comes for those salespeople to approach their prospects with the possibility of buying their products or services, the prospects are wide open to the questions and inputs of the salespeople. The prospects have a deep-down desire to reciprocate.

Send thank-you notes. One of the best ways to use this principle in your interactions is to continually look for ways to say and do positive things for people. Look for ways to do kind acts and favors for your friends and prospects. Send thank-you notes. Send birthday cards. Send clippings from newspapers about subjects that you feel may be of interest to them. Always keep your promises, and follow up on your commitments. Always do what you say you will do. Do everything possible to put in, knowing confidently that you will ultimately be able to get out far more. You will reap if you sow.

Be a go-giver rather than a go-getter. Someone has observed that no one ever built a statue to a person to acknowledge what he or she got out of life. Statues are built only to people to acknowledge what they gave. The most powerful, influential and successful people you will ever meet always look for ways to do nice things for others. When you meet someone under almost any circumstance, one of the best questions you can ask is this: "Is there anything that I can do for you?" Always look for ways to put in rather than to take out. The successful man or woman of today is a "go-giver" as well as a go-getter.

Be open and empathetic. The more that people feel that you are open and empathetic and sensitive to their needs and concerns, the more open they will be to your influencing them positively in some way. And the more you can influence others with the power and impact of your personality, the more you will accomplish, and the faster you will accomplish it—the more rapidly you will move toward the great success that you desire and deserve.

"RETIRED" -- COACH MEYER STILL TEACHING

The following was written by Steve Young for the ArgusLeader.com:

Thomas Phillip One Feather-Bell - depressed, drinking and crying last week - came Sunday looking for God at First Lutheran Church.

One Feather-Bell didn't know when he walked in the door at First Lutheran that he would be listening to the all-time wins leader in men's college basketball history instead.

But what the young man heard from retired Northern State University Coach Don Meyer resonated with him on many levels.

Meyer's emphasis on service, humility, respect and courtesy - and how they apply to congregations like they do to sports teams - struck a chord.

"He talked about kids he was recruiting who were disrespectful to their parents while he visited them," One Feather-Bell said. "So he let them go, didn't recruit them anymore. That was pretty good."

Meyer, 65, finished his 38th season last spring with 922 career victories. His story is coming out in a book, "How Lucky Can You Be: The Story of Coach Don Meyer," that was written by ESPN The Magazine senior writer Buster Olney and is being released Tuesday by Random House.

Part of that story covers how, on Sept. 5, 2008, Meyer was leading a caravan of Northern State players on a team retreat when he fell asleep at the wheel and was involved in a head-on collision with a truck hauling 60,000 pounds of corn.

The accident was almost fatal and eventually cost him much of his left leg. The night of the accident, the surgeon who worked to save his life discovered that Meyer had carcinoid cancer, a slow-growing form of the disease.

Speaking at First Lutheran's weekly Adult Forum, Meyer injected good-natured humor with a message of how those listening could conduct themselves in church and in life. That included examples of being courteous to others, of picking up trash in all walks of life, and of encouraging the hard workers in congregations and not just those with the most talents.

"God doesn't care about our talents," Meyer said. "He cares about our mind-set. Those people who have a 'B' in talent but an 'A' in mind-set will do so much more."

Meyer told a story about what he considered to be one of the greatest examples of service leadership in the coaching profession - revered UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.

A few days before his death June 4, 99-year-old Wooden asked his son to give him a shave, Meyer said.

"I want to look good for Nell when I get up there," Wooden explained as he pointed to heaven, where he planned to be reunited with his departed wife.

"That's how you want to live your life, with love, with faith," Meyer said.

Just a few days removed from his despair, One Feather-Bell said those words made all the sense in the world to him.

ZONE OFFENSIVE KEYS FROM XAVIER BASKETBALL

From the Xavier Basketball Newsletter -- There are several attributes to any good zone offense that make it effective. They are:

o All zones are strongest at the top, so they should be attacked from the side.

o Have patience on offense and look for the opportunities that are presented by the defense

o Use accurate, strong passes to move the zone

o Don’t rush the ball around the zone. Allow the defense to react

o Keep good offensive spacing to spread out the zone and enable one-on-one situations

o Attack the zone from the rear whenever possible

o Any good zone offense will go through the series of overloading the zone, flattening it out, over loading etc.

o Crash the boards. Most zones are stationary and react when the shot goes up. Since we are utilizing a continuity offense, our rebounders know the area of the floor from which a shot will most probably be taken and should be in position for an offensive rebound.

COACH K'S ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF MOTION OFFENSE

PASSING: Good passing helps avoid turnovers and puts your team in the best possible scoring positions. Most of our passing drills establish the mindset of passing away from the defense instead of passing to the offense. Moreover, the passer must not only get the ball to the recipient but also put the recipient in the best possible position to shoot the ball and score.

MOVEMENT: The key to successful movement is to move in concert with the rest of your teammates to insure the key concept of our offense, floor balance. Proper spacing is essential for a good offense. An offensive player standing still allows his defender to play off his man to give help to his teammates.

SCREENING: Each player must help his teammates get a better shot opportunity. The screen is the most effective way of establishing better shot opportunities. However, the passer must look for both the person being screened and the screener as potential scoring threats. In the execution of the screen two players will work together to produce a scoring opportunity.

SHOT DISCIPLINE: Despite its reputation, motion offense is not an equal shot opportunity offense. You, as coach, must establish what type of shot each player is expected to take.

CONCENTRATION: In pattern offenses, the system does all of the thinking. In motion offense, you are only as good as your concentration. You must think before you move.

ROLE IDENTIFICATION: Each player must understand the role designated for him on the team. Shot discipline & role identification go together. Each player must be told to play within his capabilities.

COMMUNICATION: Communication is key to motion offense. In order to establish proper floor balance and establish the best shot opportunities, players must be in constant communication. For example, demand that the screener call out the name of the player he is screening. This keeps both players alert, encourages good screens, and helps keep the floor balanced.

COACH WOODEN ON UNSELFISHNESS

“Unselfishness is a trait I always insisted upon. I believed that every basketball team is a unit, and I didn’t separate my players as to starters and subs. I tried to make it clear that every man plays a role, including the coach, the assistants, the trainer and the managers.”

-John Wooden

IT'S WHO WE ARE, NOT WHAT WE DO

"Goals are important, but it’s important to understand that people are not defined by their goals and whether or not they reach them. A win or a loss does not make you or me a better or worse human being. This is where, in our society, we’ve so easily lost perspective on the truth about who we are. We have to separate who we are from what we do."

-Jim Tressel

From "The Winners Manual"

12 SIMPLE YET SIGNIFICANT DAILY TO DO’S FOR LEADERS

Thanks to the http://www.CoachingToolbox.net/ for sharing this list from Coach Steve Smiley of Sheridan College.  Steve is a former point guard for Coach Don Meyer and doing a great job of coaching.  We will post this on our coaching site and on http://hoopboost.blogspot.com/ (our player's site).

1. Be the hardest worker at practice today. Without fail, one of the quickest ways to impact a team is with your own work ethic. Choose to be one of the hardest workers on your team today. Not only does it set the tone for the work ethic of your program, it is also one of the best and quickest ways to enhance your leadership credibility with your teammates and coaches.

2. Be a spark of energy and enthusiasm today. Let your passion for the sport shine through today. Spread a contagious energy and enthusiasm amongst your teammates. Think about how lucky you are to be able to play and compete. Remember back to when you were a young child and reconnect with the joy you played with back then. Make your sport fun again for yourself and your teammates.

3. Model mental toughness today. Because your teammates will look to you under pressure, adversity, and stress, be sure to model mental toughness today. Bounce back quickly after errors to show your teammates how to respond to negative situations. Maintain your poise and optimism despite any mistakes you might make so that your teammates can trust and rely on you to get them through the tough times.

4. Connect with a teammate today. Leadership is all about relationships. Invest the time to build and strengthen the relationships you have with each of your teammates. Inquire about their day, challenges, and goals. Make a special and ongoing effort to get to know every athlete on your team, not just your friends and classmates. The relationship building you do each day will pay off immeasurably down the road.

5. Compliment a teammate today. Be on the lookout for teammates who are contributing to your team. Call out a teammate for making a hustle play, pushing through a weight workout, recovering quickly from a mistake, getting an A on an exam, etc. Praise the actions and attitudes you want to see repeated. As Mother Teresa once said, “Kind words are short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless.”

6. Challenge a teammate today. Challenge at least one of your teammates today. Positively push them and yourself to make the most of your workout. Make a friendly wager to see if they can be successful at least 4 out of 5 times in a drill. See if you both can improve your times in conditioning. Offer to stay after to help if there is anything they want to work on. Good leaders consistently invite, inspire, and sometimes implore others to greatness.

7. Support a teammate today. Odds are, at least one of your teammates is struggling with something today – it could be a performance slump, a rocky romantic relationship, a disagreement with a coach, an unglamorous role, struggling with a class, or a sick family member. Good leaders are consistently on the lookout for teammates who might be struggling and are ready to offer an ear to listen, an encouraging word, a pat on the back, or a shoulder to cry on.

8. Constructively confront negativity, pessimism, and laziness today. As a leader, have the courage to constructively confront the negativity, pessimism, and laziness that will crop up on your team from time to time. Instead of fueling the fire by joining in or silently standing by, be sure to refocus your teammates on solutions rather than dwelling on and complaining about the problems. Left unchecked, these problems can quickly grow to distract, divide, and destroy your team.

9. Build and bond your team today. Team chemistry naturally ebbs and flows throughout the course of the season. Take the time to monitor and maintain your team’s chemistry. Let your reserves and support staff know how much you appreciate them. Stay connected and current with each of the natural sub-groups on your team. Douse any brush fires that might be occurring and continually remind team members about your common goal and common bond.

10. Check in with your coach today. Invest the time to check in with your coach today. Ask what you can do to best help the team this week. Find out what your coach wants to accomplish with today’s practice. Also discuss if there is anything your coach is concerned about regarding your team. Discuss your collective insights on your team’s chemistry, focus, and mindset. Work together to effectively co-lead your team.

11. Remind your team how today’s work leads to tomorrow’s dreams. It’s easy to get bogged down during your season with monotonous drills, tiring conditioning, and demanding workouts. Remind your teammates how all the quality work you do today gives you a distinct advantage over your opponents. Help them see and even get excited about how today’s hard work is a long-term investment in your team’s goals, rather than just a short-term hardship or sacrifice.

12. Represent yourself and team with class and pride today. Leaders have the awesome privilege and responsibility of representing their teams. Take advantage of this opportunity by representing your team with class and pride today. Hold a door open for someone, sit in the front rows of class and actively engage in the discussion, say please and thank you, dress in respectful attire, etc. These tiny pushes represent you and your team with class and distinction. And they ultimately set you up for a lifetime of respect and success.

BRIAN TRACY ON HOW TO FIND MORE ENERGY

The following comes from Brian Tracy:

Energy is a key luck factor. For you to be at the top of your form, to be action oriented, fast moving, and extremely productive, you have to have high levels of physical and mental energy.

For you to be able to take advantage of all the possibilities around you, and to have the continuous enthusiasm that keeps you and others motivated and moving ahead, you have to organize your life so that you feel terrific about yourself most of the time.

1. Eat the Right Foods
The first key to high energy is a proper diet. To perform at your best, you must eat the right foods, in the right balance, and in the right combination. Your diet has an inordinate impact on the amount of energy you have, how well you sleep, your levels of health and fitness, and your performance throughout the day and into the evening.

2. Watch your Weight
The second key to high energy is proper weight. Proper weight is essential for health, happiness, and long life. Being slightly under your ideal weight is best. As they say, you can never be too rich or too thin. If you are not happy with your current level of physical health, you need to set specific goals for yourself for the weeks and months ahead.

3. Exercise is Essential
The third key to high energy is proper exercise. The best activity for high energy and physical fitness is aerobic exercise. This type of exercise requires that you get your heart rate up into what is called the training zone three times per week. This training zone is about 120 to 160 beats per minute, depending on your age. You then keep it there for at least 20 minutes or more each session.

4. Get Lots of Rest and Recreation

The fourth key to high energy is proper rest. You need an average of seven to eight hours of sleep each night to be fully rested. You need to take off at least one full day each week during which you don't work at all. You should take regular mini-holidays of two or three days each, every couple of months. You should take one and two week vacations each year when you relax completely and get your mind totally off your work.

5. Develop a Positive Mental Attitude

The sixth key to high energy is the elimination of negative emotions. This can be the most important thing you do to assure a long and happy life. Your ability to keep your mind on what you want and off of what you don't want will determine your levels of health and happiness more than any other decision you make.

6. Start a Personal Mental Fitness Program

The seventh key to high energy is for you to go on a 21-daypositive mental attitude diet, one day at a time. Resolve that, for the next 21 day, you are going to keep your mind on what you want and keep it off the things you don't want. You are going to think and talk positively and optimistically about your goals, other people, and everything that is going on in your life.

7. Become a Personal Powerhouse

The more you practice the health habits we have talked about, the more energy and vitality you will have. The more you keep your conversation focused on your goals and on the things you want, the greater the amount of strength and power you will feel. You will be more alert and aware. You will feel more positive and action oriented in every situation.

Action Exercise

Resolve to become intensely action oriented from now on; whenever you get a good idea or something needs to be done, move quickly.